One Reason The Game Of Thrones Spinoff Could Happen, According To HBO

Over the past year, we've heard some conflicting reports about the possibility of a Game of Thrones spinoff series heading to HBO. Former HBO President Michael Lombardo said the only way that would work would be if showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff wanted to do it, and the latter two showrunners haven't seemed all that keen to continue a Westeros story once the original series has ended. However, now Casey Bloys is in charge of HBO, and the new head honcho says there is one very compelling reason why a Game of Thrones spinoff is still on the table. Here's what he had to say:

It's a big enough property that we would be foolish not to explore it. It's a really rich world. We'd be foolish not to look at it.

If you know anything about the world of Game of Thrones, you should know that there are plenty of characters with backstories that aren't fully explored on Game of Thrones that could be fleshed out into a new series. There are also the "Dunk and Egg" novellas, which are set ninety years before the events in HBO's Game of Thrones series. George R.R. Martin has already said those stories could prove to be an ideal spinoff point, should HBO want them. Even if HBO doesn't go for that pitch, there are other stories Martin has written or nodded at in his works that could be compelling enough for a spinoff series.

Right now, Casey Bloys spoke out at TCA (via Variety), saying that he has only gotten as far as "talks" in regards to whether or not the network will move forward with a spinoff after Game of Thrones is off of the air, which is consistent with comments he has made before. Still, it's a lot more reassuring than the "no" Michael Lombardo was touting before he left.

Obviously Game of Thrones is a cash cow for HBO and there is a lot of incentive for the network to create new stories in the same world, which is what Bloys is definitely alluding to with his "foolish" comment, above. However, the network is always looking to create shows that are a step above what other non-subscription cable networks are offering. Because of this, HBO is not likely to want a True Detective Season 2 repeat and will only move forward with a spinoff project if it sounds like a real winner. Luckily, the network has quite some time to figure it out. Game of Thrones has two more seasons to air before it wraps up its run, and it's unlikely that a spinoff will get the greenlight until the long-running drama starts wrapping up.

Stay tuned while that happens. And to find out what is going on with Game of Thrones Season 7, take a look at our what we know guide.